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About Us
The Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Institute at St. Louis Children's Hospital, established in 1978 as part of the Division of Plastic Surgery, has treated more than 2,950 patients with cleft lip and palate, and another 2,300 with major craniofacial anomalies. The Institute offers evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for congenital and acquired head and neck deformities.
What are Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate?
Cleft lip and cleft palate is one of the most common birth defects, affecting one out of every 700-750 individuals. Despite this fact, most families have never heard of clefting until their child is born. Children born with cleft lip and palate are subject to a confusing array of problems that are often extensive and complex, such as abnormal facial appearance, unclear speech, poor hearing, inadequate dental health and learning problems. Major craniofacial anomalies are more rare, occurring as often as 1 in 2,000 births to truly unique cases. The evaluation, management and need for support services is more extensive for the major anomalies than for cleft lip/palate.
For examples of our patients and the successes they have had at St. Louis Children's Hospital, please see our photo gallery by clicking here.
Caring for Children With Craniofacial Anomalies -- A Team Approach
Contemporary care for clefts and other craniofacial anomalies is best provided through a multidisciplinary team. This is because no single healthcare discipline possesses all of the expertise necessary for successful and efficient habilitation of birth defects of the head and neck. Team evaluations are conducted weekly for such patients. The cleft palate team consists of specialists from plastic surgery, pediatrics, otolaryngology, nursing, genetics, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, prosthodontics, audiology, speech therapy, social services and child psychology. In addition to these disciplines, ophthalmology and neurosurgery participate on the craniofacial team.
The team's approach is to provide each child the best chance for a positive self-image, an attractive appearance, intact hearing, understandable speech, useful vision and healthy teeth -- allowing a smooth progression through childhood and adolescence into adult social function.
For more information on cleft lip and cleft palate repair, contact us or request an appointment to meet with our cleft palate and craniofacial team.
In the News
St. Louis Doctors Reconstruct Face of Southwest Missouri Boy (KSDK 02/15/07)
Boy Makes Amazing Recovery with Rebuilt Skull (KY3 03/08/07)
John Bryer's Story and Dr. Woo Interview (St. Louis Children's Hospital 03/29/07)
Meet Our Staff
Alex Kane, MD, Director, Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Institute, Plastic Surgeon
Joan Barzilai, RN, MSN,Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mark Beehner, DDS, MD, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Gregory Borschel, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Mary Mike Cradock, PhD, Child Psychology
William Don Gay, DDS, Prosthodontics
Lynn Marty Grames, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Pathology
Don Huebener, DDS, Dentist
Pam Koprowski, MS, CCC-A, Audiologist
David Molter, MD, Otolarygology
Sybill Naidoo, RN, MSN, CPN, Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Richard Nissen, DDS, MS, Orthodontist
Nicole Peck, MS, CCC-A, Audiologist
Sibyl Scheve, RN, BSN, Patient Coordinator
Matthew D. Smyth, MD, Neurosurgeon
Mary Stahl, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Pathology
Albert Woo, MD, Plastic Surgeon